In-frame Kitchen Doors - Any Disadvantages?

abankerbutnotafatcat

Hello,

We're shopping for a new kitchen and wondered if there is anything we should bear in mind when considering an in-frame style such as Dovedale from Benchmarx?

Thanks in advance for any help.

abankerbutnotafatcat

Thank you, we're actually considering the Eden too but just wanted to be equipped with the facts before starting looking in earnest - we're in Wickes tomorrow to see what these units look like for real.

akitchendesigner

Think about how you would clean the insides of cabinets. Since the frame sits 'inside' the carcase, any cleaning up gets tedious. That and the fact that I have seen the insides of the frame chipped/scratches when people have tried to get things out and caught the frame.

abankerbutnotafatcat

Our local independent fitter recommended Benchmarx although he said he'd do Howdens as well if we preferred. He said they were very similar but that the backs were thicker on the BM. We will look at Howdens as well.

We need to see them in situ but our house is Victorian with a former fireplace bit so the more traditional Dovedale could work but I'm thinking we'd have it without the curvy bits on the top of the wall units (cornicing?) as we like a quite simple look.

Thank you for your comments and advice.

gazza0210

Just bear in mind that with the Dovedale/Borrowdale/Oakhurst range of Bm kitchens the drawerboxes will be slightly smaller than say the Eden range due to the frame around the drawer, and also that there is specific cutlery trays for said drawers.

Oh and the units are Rigid (ready built) by the manufacturer and not BM themselves.

abankerbutnotafatcat

Thanks for all the comments. When we go to look at them in store tomorrow we'll bear in mind cleaning and possible catching things on the frames with the in-frame design ones. As Gazza has pointed out, I did note that there are specific cutlery trays.

A new kitchen is quite exciting but also a bit stressful with all these decisions and the fear that we could 'go wrong' (choose something poor quality, or that we hate or that doesn't work/fit). So all help is really appreciated!!

gazza0210

Kitchen DesignR - You are correct, they are Cam and Dowel cabinets and are not glued. I have from experience herd a lot of fitters moan about doweled and glued cabinets due to the lack of adjustment if the cabinet is "out of square", With a Cam and dowel design there is a tiny bit of adjustment.

Benchmarx as you said do replacement panels but also the clad-on panels too. There is always the option of having either, its all down to design, choice and budget.

As you can guess I work for Benchmarx, like you Kitchen DesignR im not here to sell anything just to clarify and help where I can

evokit

Gazza - who does the off square gue n dowel units??
any half decent carcass production wouldnt do this?
All your hight end kitchen companies use this method.

abankerbutnotafatcat - if you go down the Howdens route - upgrade everything you can as alot of there standard wont stand the test of time, drawers etc. but on that note i would look somewhere where you can get a better carcass colour than the two they offer, could let down your project a little (finishing touches).
The kitchens your looking at aint guna be the cheapest so would look round to tick all boxes.

gazza0210

I know what you mean about hearing bad things about the competitors. There is always gonna be positives and negatives about each companies product, the way I see it, you should be selling your product on its positives and features not on badmouthing the competition.

I have seen so many people abuse the competition to get sales, that certainly aint the way I or my team do things, we sell on the positives of our products.

abankerbutnotafatcat

Thanks everyone, I think we're going for a Benchmarx Eden. Next step is shopping around for the worksurface.

abankerbutnotafatcat

We'd really like to go for quartz or granite but it will come down to cost. We've got a local company recommended on Alan M's thread coming around next week to measure up. Any thoughts on particular colours to match the white-cream Eden would be very welcome! The flooring will be neutral - probably grey/black tiles with colour/warmth provided by painting the walls.

Have you ever seen a white/cream worktop like white mirrored quartz work with an Eden like unit? I'm told it wouldn't work as they're too similar but I do wonder. Otherwise probably a 'black with bits'. We are conscious that pure, glossy black shows fingerprints and scratches so are keen to get something more practical although we've also been advised that pale colours can be stained by red wine, tea etc (although we were also told that quartz was non-porous...)

All help extremely appreciated!!